The missing Key
by LizzyGoode
Summary: There is some trouble in the US and Blunt is forced to send in their best agent. But Alex's not working with adults this time.
1. Default Chapter

Summary: This is set after Eagle strike but before scorpia -- I haven't read scorpia yet - I know, I'm an awful fan...a POOR fan...but, so this won't have any of those spoilers, but it probably will have spoilers from skeleton key and eagle strike. Not huge ones, I guess? But yeah. Blunt was right, America decided to train their own lil miniture soldiers, and relunctantly Alex is kinda forced to join forces with this American city girl in order to take down a dangerous mobster who plans to...dun dun dunnnn...take over the world! So now, its up to Alex and this American, and perhaps a few friends, to save the world...once again...well for Alex that is. Jack's in it too -- she gets to finally return home? And her reaction toward this american spy isn't all that surprising...

dfffdfdeded

Alex gritted his teeth in dismay as the local doctor slowly lowered the heated knife down onto his soft, fragile skin. He had to grit his teeth even tighter as he felt the skin slowly melt, slowly fuse back together. Brin Adams, his new American friend, sat patiently right outside the room. He couldn't ignore the anger that was rising somewhere deep inside of him. All of this, this whole ordeal was her fault. She's the one that suggested they take that particular route, even when she knew they'd be snipers. She had deliberately ignored the CIA, she'd ignored the rules. She should be the one sitting here, trying to hold in the pain as they burnt her skin back together to prevent her from bleeding to death.

"Alex?" the robotic male tone asked emotionlessly.

Alex jerked his head up. "Huh?" he automatically mumbled. He hadn't noticed that they were done, he hadn't noticed the pain slowly fade down to a minimum.

"I was saying," the robotic tone continued. "This wound will probably scar, but other than that, it looks like you're good to go."

Alex slowly got to his feet, fighting off the urge to wince. That doctor had said he was all good to go, if that was so, then why did it hurt. "It's common to feel a little after pain," the doctor stated plainly, answering the boy's unasked question. "We can offer you crutches if you wish. Patients have claimed that the crutches help ease the pain until there is no more pain."

Alex began to shake his head no in reply, but then a thought emerged through the darkness. If he had crutches the organization would have to put him on the injured list. He'd be unable to go on another mission; he'd be of no use to them and they'd have no choice but to send him home. "Uh, yeah, thanks, I'd like a pair of crutches," he answered instead. The doctor nodded briefly and left to find some crutches in Alex's size.

"You're rather clever," a female voice erupted out of the new found silence. An American voice. "The business spoke as though you were just some mindless brit. As though you were just some child. It must be that new head man, I don't like him. But now, they'll have to find someone else. Or send me in alone."

The voice seemed almost sorry. Alex looked up at Brin. He had liked her, and Jack had liked her, but this whole spy business just wasn't his deal. The whole spy business is what he hated; not the people. "I'm sorry, Brin...but I have to...for the pain..."

Brin shook her head regretfully. "No, you're not sorry. You don't need them, and you know it. I heard you've had far more worst bumps and bruises than this. This is --"

"I've never been shot," Alex interrupted, his voice colder than the ice out side. Brin froze in her spot, ignoring the cold look Alex was giving her.

"You're not sorry, Alex," Brin stated stubbornly. "Humans are never sorry. Sorry is just a common accident. Nothing's an accident, Alex. If you were sorry, you would never have asked for the crutches in the first place. You want out, I get that. But this operation's riding on your ass, man, and now your ass is missing. Pull a chair out from under a person and what happens? They collapse..."

"There's other people out there who can do this," Alex snapped. "Better people. Better people who can do this better."

Brin couldn't disguise her disgust. "You're a coward. You know you're in this business, you know it's a dangerous business, and that terrifies you. Hey, man, it scares me at times too. But you're running away. Alright, run away. Leave me hanging. I'm happy, I would rather die hanging than be grouped with a coward. A coward like you." Brin slowly turned away and strode off, leaving Alex gawking after her.

The doctor soon reappeared behind him, gripping two crutches. He handed them to Alex. Alex hesitated, replaying what Brin had said in his mind, over and over again. 'Pull a chair out from under a person and what happens? They collapse.' Alex slowly accepted the crutches and limped over, relying on the crutches more than he would have liked.

That's some sort of teaser? I know -- it's way confusing but I just wanted to get the story out there. I've introduced one original character -- Brin. The partner. This is after Alex has been shot by a sniper because Brin ignored the CIA and took a road that she knew had snipers. Bad first action impression for Brin. But alex doesn't hate her. He's just pissed. Don't sweat it, I'll compose more chapters. The chapters'll make more sense. And introduce more characters. Friends of Brin. Enemies of the two. and so on. Enjoy -- review.


	2. Defend your family

Alan Blunt wasn't all that excited when he heard Alex had joined the handicap list, but Alex defended himself fairly well. However, Blunt did refuse to pay for Alex's passage home, leaving Alex and Jack alone in America, with no cash and no place to stay. Jack had foced herself back to her sister's house.

Alex was sitting at the dining room table, staring off into space, ignoring the cold eggs and pancakes that inhabited his plate. He hated Jack's sister. Sure, she was an excellent cook, and she loved to spend all of her time primarily on cooking, but that left little time for her to spend on her personality. She was dull, rude and abnoxious. There was no wonder Jack left the country to escape her sister, Alex would do the exact same thing. "Alex?"

Alex jerked his head up, annoyed with himself for letting someone like Agatha (Jack's sister) to sneak up on him like that. "What?" Alex snapped a little ruder than he had intended. Agatha appearantly gave him a harsh look because his features soon softened. "I mean...what?" he said a little kinder.

"Is something wrong, child?" Agatha asked, the dismay evident in her firm tone. She was only a year and a few months older than Jack but she looked centuries older. Alex wasn't sure if it was Jack who looked younger than her age, or Agatha who looked far older than her age. Agatha's skin clung to her bones forceably, seeming to make it impossible for her to smile. Not that she wanted to. She was a very pessimistic lady, always positive that something dreadful would happen to someone close to her, as though she wished it to be so. But Alex followed Jack's example and just swept the predictions away like they'd never been said in the first place.

"No," Alex mumbled quietly. "I'm fine," he added.

"Well you don't seem very fine," Agatha pointed out bluntly. Alex's eyes narrowed. Agatha was really the type to point out things you knew they knew, but just wished they'd let it be. "Why, you haven't even touched my delicious food! Something must be wrong!" Agatha went on. "Tell me, what is it?"

Alex stared at her quietly for a moment. To be honest, despite how often she cooked, her food wasn't all that great. But he didn't bother to point that bit out. "You wouldn't understand it," he mumbled after a moment.

By the look Agatha gave him, one would suspect he had slapped her. "Excuse me?" She snapped. "I? Won't understand? No such words should ever be used in such a sorrowful sentence! I understand all!"

"Then you won't have a problem understanding why I want you to go away and leave me be?" Alex asked quickly. He knew it was mean and rude, this woman had opened up her house for him and Jack, but he just wanted her to go away. Afterall, it was easier to like someone you don't know. Someone who doesn't talk.

"Jack taught you how to talk like that, didn't she?" Agatha accused. Alex shook his head and opened his mouth to deny it, but Agatha never gave him the chance. "That is so like her. She really always was the failure of the family, running away with some boy to a foriegn country, befriending those who would kill us Americans in a second. She always talked so negative, like she didn't care if she flunked out of school, if she never got married. If the family always thought her to be a disgrace. And now she's passed it onto you!"

Alex stared at her dumbfoundedly. "She's not a failure," he finally got out. "She has a good life in England, not that you'd understand that. You know nothing of her life, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't speak of her like that. She's not failure. She's needed. Which is more than I can say about you." Alex finally threw down his fork and rose from his chair, storming off before Agatha could stop him.


	3. Brief fighting can still lead to failure

Brin knelt unsteadily in the middle of a vacant junk yard. She was breathing heavily, trying to force the uncasual air into her lungs. She'd been caught, again. But it didn't end like Alex's. She didn't have a shot wound. She just had several little wounds, a gash above the right eye, a nearly crippled left arm, and quite a few welts littering the width of her back. She never had such a thorough fight in all her teenage life.

This was an awful place to stop, but she couldn't run anymore. Her leg muscles were crying out in pain and her lungs were throbbing with overusage. She couldn't stop herself from collapsing to the ground, even with the knowledge that they would find her in a matter of minutes. Brin quickly searched herself for the self phone Alex had left in her bag before he disappeared into the night. She shouldn't have doubted it, the first speed dial number was Alex's own.

Alex picked up on the first ring, as though he'd been expecting it. "Brin?" He murmured into the phone. He seemed so calm.

"They're coming, Alex," Brin mumbled clumisily into her own phone, not even bothering to filter out her pain or heavy breathing. "I'm not prepared...I haven't learnt how to fight this many...fight this much...I'm suck-ish..."

"Where are you?" Alex asked quickly. He knew time was limited.

"The town junk yard..." Brin answered as quickly, as firmly as possible. Alex hung up without any further words. Any further words were uselss. Useless bits of data that might cost Brin her young life.

Brin forced herself to her feet and stumbled her way through the junk yard in a search for some sort of shelter. Somewhere to hide. But she was just so slow, there wasn't a way she'd escape them. And sure enough, they showed up just five minutes after her call. Brin tried to run again but her feeble legs refused to support her weight and she tumbled to the ground.

The five rogue agents that had caught up with her were now towering over her, enclosing a tight circle around her. Suffocating her. Brin tried to rise again, but that's when the kicks started up. There were kicks from everyone, thousands and thousands of boots stomping down on her heavily, refusing to let her breath. The stark red pain was every where, steal everything she thought she'd had, it even stole the screams as they rose up into her throat.

Then a pair of boots fell away, followed by a loud thump. Then all the other boots fell away and the pain slowled to a dull prescence. Brin tried to lift her head before the darkness enclosed her.


	4. Trouble in paradise

Brin slowly opened her eyes. This room was too bright, too stuffy...great, a hospital room. She shook her head. She hated hospitals. Everyone she'd ever known to love had died in the hospital on the same night. Brin quickly looked around, taking in her surroundings, before her gaze settled on one particular boy.

She couldn't help grinning. Alex was sitting in one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs, leaning forward; his arms and head resting lightly on the side ofthe bed. He was sound asleep. Brin leaned back in her bed and tried to fall back asleep, but the pain was starting to come back to her, along with all the memories of the last night. Brin shook her head, shifting uncomfortably in the soft bed. Alex stirred at her side but didn't wake.

She'd been out numbered the night before, it'd been an unfair fight. An unfair fight that she'd lost. What kind of agent does that make her? "A human one," Brin answered out loud. She was fed up. She, like Alex, hadn't been too keen on the idea of this whole spy ordeal, but the CIA had talked her into it, and she had devoted herself to it. But you can't win them all. "But there's penalties for those who fall," she murmured quietly.

Alex shifted again. He was uncomfortable, but he wasn't going to leave her side. "Alex..." Brin mumbled, rubbing the side of his head lightly. "Alex..."

Alex was awake at the touch of her hand. He'd taught himself to sleep lightly ages ago. But when he looked round and only found Brin staring down at him, his eyes began to sag once again. "You're awake," he pointed out tiredly. Brin nodded soberly. "You were quite banged up last night...Your boss was terrified you wouldn't make it."

There was a long silence. "Why wouldn't I make it?" she finally asked when Alex didn't continue.

"You're on the handicap list, Brin," Alex stated quietly. "A few broken ribs, a concusion, back injuries, sprained wrist...they kicked your ass, man..."

Brin shook her head. "That's impossible. I didn't feel any of this pain last night..."

Alex straightened up then shrugged. "You passed out...the concusion. All the kicking resulted in the broken ribs. They assume your wrist was already sprained by that time. And they found welts covering the length of your back. What happened out there? Why'd they want to get you so bad?"

"Did you get hurt?" Brin asked, side stepping his question. Alex shook his head no, but a glint of red out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Brin reached out and snatched up Alex's right hand. Alex tried to pull away but Brin held firm. "What's this?"

"Somebody had a knife...it's nothing," Alex asked relunctantly.

"What else did they do to you?" Brin asked, all of a sudden feeling guilty. "How did _you _escape?" Alex didn't answer. "Tell me," Brin demanded, louder this time.

"I had phoned the CIA before I left," Alex replied quietly. "They showed up when soon enough..."

There was another long silence. "Let me see your back," Brin finally asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Alex was quiet for a moment. "Let me see your back," she repeated, louder this time. Kano, the one that had primarily pursued her last night, had revealed to her that he enjoyed whipping 'squirming little kids' right before he took the whip to her back.

Alex rose to his feet. "I should be going..." Brin hurried to her feet as well, but soon regretted moving so fast. She bent over slightly, gripping her side, as though that somehow would make the new pain of her still broken ribs disappear. "You're not suppose to be up," Alex pointed out.

"We're suppose to be partners," Brin snapped bitterly. "You and I, remember, two halves of one coin. But you can't be a partner, you look down on me, don't you Alex?" She took a step forward. "Fine. You win. Without a partner I'm uselss. So I quit." She looked around the room and quickly found her back of clothes. She quickly got dressed, ignoring Alex's prescence.

"Brin..." Alex began quietly.

Brin whirled on him. "I quit!" She shouted in his face. The burden had been too much for her to carry for so long, and now it was weighing her down. It was forcing her down to the ground. "I quit!" she repeated loudly. "I quit, goddamnit!"

"C'mon Brin..." Alex tried again. He inched forward until he was inches from Brin. "You don't mean --"

"I do mean it."

Alex didn't know what to do so he did the only thing that seemed to be natural in this sort of situation...he threw his arms around her. She let him hug her for the better part of a minute before rejecting the attempt. She shoved him away bitterly. "Stop it..." He tried to hug her again so she hit him hard in the chest. It was very professional, just an open palm hit. Alex recoiled slightly.

This stopped Brin in her tracks. She quickly, bitterly, pulled Alex's shit up, revealing his unattended to chest and receiving a low hiss from the boy. "Oh my god," she muttered, more like herself now. Alex's chest was covered in long, deep welts. Just looking at them, she knew they must have captured him before beating him. They must have beat him more, beat him harder.

Alex shoved Brin aside after she'd seen enough of his chest and walked past her, hurrying out of the room. Before she could stop herself, Brin was hurrying after him, ignoring the nudging pain in her chest, and the killer headache in her head. She finally fell into step beside Alex, breathing heavily. "Why are you so bitter?" she demanded loudly, struggling to keep up with Alex as he speed walked down the hospital hall. He didn't reply. He didn't acknowledge her. Brin came to a halt as Alex kept on walk. She shook her head and disappeared around the nearest corner. Alex didn't seem to notice.


	5. MIA

"She's disappeared," Vernon reported solmnley. The CIA had checked the hospital, expecting to find an unconscious agent. The pills they'd issued were supposed to ensure that. But all they had found was an empty bed. The tracking device had led them straight to the hospital parking lot.

"Where is Rider?" CIA head chairman John Card asked calmly.

"He has not moved," Vernon answered. "He is with his housekeeper...this Jack Starbright. Should we move in?"

Card shook his head. "No. Rider isn't going anywhere. Focus the search on Brin." Card turned away from Vernon, clearly telling Vernon that this conversation was finished. Vernon accepted the memo and rose from the chair he had been occupying only moments before and headed straight for the door. "Vernon," Card called after him, as soon as the agent's fingers had wrapped around the golden door handle. "You are authorized to capture Adams...if possible. But if she leaks any bit of this confidentiality, then you are permitted to terminate her. Is that clear?" Vernon nodded sharply. And with a nod from Card he left the stuffy room.

Brin was just a liability to them, they didn't _need _her. She was just some who had the sort of personality and casualty to get close enough to Alex. Alex was who they needed. Without him, their entire business could crumble. Brin was just a liability. She had the friends to decalre just how authentic she really was. It was all an act, just an act that Brin was unaware of. Or was she _still _unaware?

Vernon had made a mistake in the beginning. A terrible terrible fatal mistake that he still fears will someday consume him whole. When he was scouting for an agent, he accidentally chose a smart girl. He needed someone to be able to hold their own in the face of danger, yet still be dumb enough to not realize what the CIA really was until it was much too late. But he chose an open minded, conspiracy hating young girl. When he needed to choose a close minded, trusting young girl. He needed a gullible person. And what he never realized before was that Brin was no gullible person. She had no gullible friends, she had no close minded friends. Her appearance, her attitude and her taste in everything was so open minded Vernon still scoulded himself for choosing such a smart teenager. Which was a rather hard job to do. Today in the world teenagers were growing dimmer by the minute, and when he wanted a dense teenager he instead idiotically chose a teenager so light she could float to the heavens on the air itself.

That assumption wasn't too far off, though. She was light on her feet, she'd always been, even before she 'learned' the martial arts, which she learned quickly. She used to dance to hip hop music. Which was odd enough, since she didn't enjoy most hip hop music. She was a rocker chick. She were oversized, and mostly ripped and/or stained jeans, matched gruesomely with a dark t-shirt of some band or some awful insult either to herself or anyone else. Her long brown hair wasn't the thinnest but it went perfectly with her frame, color and style. She usually kept it up in a bun, but when it ran free it looked better. Coverse all stars, chucks, whatever you wish to call them, were the only kind of shoes for her; even if she prefered to remain loyal to the original color -- black. She refused to wear make up and despite her rather impressionable appearance, she did enjoy taking part in any sort of sports, ranging from football to baseball to basketball, always light on her feet and heavy within the game.

That was indeed when Vernon first saw this child. She tackled a kid on the foot ball team that was twice her size and managed to injure him bad enough to remove him from the game. She was tiny, but strong when needed. But she was needed now. This Fowl organization was fixing up to launch in just one week and they could do nothing without her. They _needed _her.


	6. Stalecrackers

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I appreciate it. Before I pre made those five chapters before ever creating the story. That's how this story just popped out of nowhere with five chapters. So, it might be a tad delayed from here on out. But here's another chapter. enjoy ---------------------

"I appreciate this, Stale-crackers," Brin mumbled, the edge suddenly gone from her voice. "I mean, really..."

Sara brushed aside the appreciation with a chuckle. "C'mon Adams, what are friends for?" Sara dropped down onto the couch in the empty living room. April, her mother had left for work right after dropping Brin off and Justin, her boyfriend, had been at work all morning. Justin had a family, but none to speak of. His mother was a poor, uncaring woman who lived with her eldest daughter, Amber, who had no room left for Justin. Justin did have another sister, who also lived with Amber. That other sister was 22 years old, but mentally retarded. So Justin's last resort had been his recent girlfriend...a year and some odd months ago...

Sara's father had ditched the family scene when she was young. Her mother had revealed to Brin that Sara's father -- John Staley, had been quite the abuser, when Brin was younger. But Sara seemed to have forgotten all the pain since she's still pretty close with her dad, who doesn't live too far away. She has a little sister, who has a different father. But she doesn't know that and Sara's dad treats her the same. Brin, personally, hates Sara's sister, she's bratty and spoiled. But she doesn't act like it, at least not as much as Justin does. Last to the family is Chris, Sara's 19 year old brother who had just moved out. He'd been expelled from school in his junior year and never bothered to go back the following year. He's now married to a close friend of the family's -- tabetha and has a six month old baby boy.

Brin liked Sara's family, she liked her mother and though Justin was the funniest guy there was. But still the sorrow would leave her. "Are you alright?" a cheerful voice broke through her thoughts.

Brin looked up at Sara. "Oh...yeah...sure...why not?"

Sara wrapped a comforting arm around Brin. "I know what'll cheer you up," she chirped happily. "A trip to the theater!" she answered before Brin could ask what. "You can pick the movie?" she then offered slowly.

Alex stood uncertainly outside of Brin's door. He'd never been at her house before, he didn't know how to react. Before he could worry more, the front door swung open and a taller, older teenager filled the frame. Alex stared evenly at him. The teenager had a smooth face, fair brown ear length hair, and loose fitting clothes. They weren't the short of clothes that Brin wore, but pretty close. He wore the sort of clothes that most male teenagers did. Loose, baggy, rebellious. "Is Brin here?" Alex finally asked.

The kid shook his head stiffly. "Who are you?" he then asked. His voice was smooth too. Alex couldn't help thinking that this kid MUST be popular in school...the opposite of his younger sister.

"Alex Rider..." Alex answered truthfully. "Are you Brin's brother?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Name's Drake." He extended a hand. Alex seized it without hesitation. "Look, man...Don't tell Brin I told you, but she said something about being at this one chick's house. She's supposed to 'disappear' without a trace. But we all know it's not that easy. She went to Sara Staley's house. You know where she lives?" Alex shook his head wordlessly. Drake grinned. "Alright. It's not too far from here. I can show you."


	7. the American way with Alma Leal

Brin layed on the soft ground next to Alex. "Alex?" she mumbled quietly. "You awake?"

Alex didn't move. "Unfortunately," Alex answered quietly. "What's the matter?"

The two had arrived at the mansion around 6:30, after the wires and contacts had been put in. Card hadn't bothered putting a wrist band on Brin like he had done to Alex. He knew she wasn't going to disobey him. But even when they were supposed to be asleep neither could seem to fall asleep. "I...I don't think I can sleep..." She muttered sleepily.

Alex unconsciously moved closer to Brin. "Just close your eyes...Brin...Breathe deeply and just...dream...force yourself to dream, Brin. It shouldn't be long before --"

"We're going to die here..." Brin interrupted. Alex looked over at Brin, for the first time since they'd arrived at this piss hole. "Aren't we? They're going to find out -- they'll --"

"No," Alex interrupted. "Don't talk like that. Just go to sleep..." Brin was quiet for a moment then muffled weeping reached Alex's ears. Brin was weeping. "Brin..." She didn't reply by Alex could feel furious movement beside him as Brin started to shove the tears away. "Brin, everything's fine...just...just go to bed...please god -- go to bed."

Brin continued to brush her tears away until she felt another hand brushing the tears away. Brin stared forward in the dark. "I'm fine..." she snapped to the dark silence. "I'm fine..."

Alex's arms were around her again. Unlike earlier, Brin let the boy hug her. She slowly sank into the gently hug, resting her pounding head against his chest, listening to his pounding heart. That was the last thing she heard until the next morning. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Breakfast," Alma Leal declared dully. She'd always had that dull sort of voice, but she'd learned to live with it...be a depressed person. Alma's birth father was not Todd Collins -- psycho terriost. No, sirwe...according to her she had no exact birth father -- just a sperm donor. But Todd was the man that her mother chose to marry. He was the man that took them out of poverty, off the evil streets of Illinois and California alike. He was the man that bought his mother's love. But he couldn't buy Alma, she was a street punk for christ's sake, and nobody would buy her. Just a month ago she'd caught a bit of his meetings with 'work stuff' and heard enough to guess what he was actually up to. Instead of heading for her mother, the queen of bitch, she went straight to someone who could help her -- Brin Adams. Alma was the first one to find out that Brin was a spy...and she was also the first one to keep that secret from all.

Alex eyed the cheese pizza Alma had just cooked up. "Pizza?" He asked uncertainly, as though this pizza was just a disguise of a much better breakfast.

Alma's eyes narrowed. "Of course, Rider," Brin answered him instead. "It's the American way."

Alma nodded in agreement. "Want some ice cream with that?"

Alex shook his head. "Are you kidding me?"

Alma had already pulled herself out a fudge bar. She turned back around to face Brin and Alex and shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Brin was flipping through the channels on Collins' massive television, while shoveling a piece of pizza into her mouth. She paused on an old fairly unfamiliar channel. Fox Family. "Hey, look what's on," she spluttered around a mouth full of food. "Bi' wo' on capus'," she mumbled.

Both Alma and Alex paused in their eating. "What the hell is this?" Alma asked casually. Despite Alex's better judgement, he was actually enjoying himself. He liked them, alot. He liked their personalities, he liked pizza and Alma, despite her image and personality, was an amazing cook...pizza cook at least.

"Big wolf on campus, man!" Brin exclaimed overlyenthusiastically. "The greatest show in the world! It's the greatest show in the world, goddamnit!" She took another large bite of another slice of pizza. "Go' ep'sode.." she muttered around the food in her mouth.

"Could you perhaps talk before eating? Would it have killed you to say something before shoveling the food into your mouth?" Alex asked quietly, inspit of himself. He knew most shows Brin liked were pretty good. Seriously, Animal house, the breakfast club, pump up the volume, gleaming the cube. They were all good films, hell, he'd even watched an episode of Higher ground. She ignored him completely. Which was another reason he liked her. She (and most of her female friends) we're like other girls. They didn't obsess over stupid stuff that won't matter in a few weeks. They didn't complain, bitch or whine about anything. And most of all, she was rock hard...nothing he said seemed to offend her.

Brin seemed too much into the television when Todd Collins walked into the living room. He stopped in the room and stared down at the trio. Alma and Alex stared back at him evenly, but Brin didn't even seem to notice his presence. "What the hell are you kids doing?" he snapped. Alex looked to Alma to support an answer and Alma didn't bother looking to Brin, the excessive talker that usually got them out of trouble when anyone -- adults, teachers, hell, even kids. But she appeared to be a tad busy right now.

"We're eating breakfast," Alma answered casually, taking a big bite of the vanilla ice cream she had in a bowl. "What the hell are you doing?" She asked casually, and Collins didn't even notice it when Brin turned to look at him. "Don't you kids have school or something?"

The three exchange looks. "It's three o'clock," Alex stated first, slowly.

"And it's the goddamn summer, man," Alma threw in. "We could go somewhere, of course...but we have no money...no transportation...and I have no clean clothes..."

Collins groaned loudly and dug deep into his pockets. He pulled out a big wad of paper, receiving expressive noises from both Alex and Brin. He threw Alma a few bills. Thirty dollars. "I'm not the only one here..." Alma pointed out slowly. Collins groaned louder and threw Alex and Brin the same amount. "Gee, thanks."


	8. unraveling the plot

"Hey, Adams...how bout you buy me a slushie...?" Alma stage whispered to Brin. They had left for the mall after Big Wolf on Campus had ended, there was no way Brin would leave otherwise.

Brin chuckled lightly. "Sure, Alma...considered this an early birthday present." Brin handed the cashier seven dollars and bought three large cherry slushies. She handed one to a very distracted Alex. "What's the matter with you?" Alex didn't seem to hear her. Brin hit him hard in the shoulder. Alex turned his attention to her. "What's up?"

"Nothing yet," Alex answered solemnly, rubbing his shoulder. "It's just...we've left Alma's...so how are we helping our mission at all?"

Brin shrugged, dropping down into a chair and setting her slushie on a table. Alex and Alma followed. "You and I both --"

"And Alma," Alma interrupted.

"And Alma," Brin added, "know that this Todd guy won't make a move or act normal if there's three nearly grown kids there. So...in order for him to move freely in his own home we must leave it."

"And that helps how?" Alex asked again.

"Well, c'mon, Rider, you're a spy. Think like a spy. Now, that Card guy gave us each a wire, correct? So he can hear everything...like he hears this too...and he can us a set of contacts so he can see everything. But unlike you, Mr. oh-so-perfect eyes, he gave me multiple sets of contacts, because I used to wear glasses when I was younger. I'd started wearing contacts when I got around eleven or so, but I had to take them out for this whole CIA, because he liked the whole, wear contacts for him ordeal. But with his in it's like I'm blind! So he gave me a few so I could change em in and out."

"Is there a point to this all?" Alex cut in as Brin paused.

Brin scrunched up her face in fake anger. "Of course there is! Now, what I realized this morning when I went to urinate...Mr. Todd also wears contacts. So all I did was switch his with the CIA's...of course he's gonna realize that he cannot see -- but he'd remember putting in the contacts and just live with it." She paused, no one spoke. "Well I thought that was just plain genius. The CIA's gonna see everything he does. He kills somebody -- they're gonna see it. We don't even have to be there...unless we wanna hear it...so everything makes sense..."

Alex just stared at her for a few minutes. "You know...that's not a bad plan."

"Geez, you need to work on your peoples skills, Rider," Alma pointed out modestly. "That's a kick ass plan, Adams," Alma congradulated cheerfully.

Brin bowed proudly. "Thank you, thank you."

"What if he finds out that he's not wearing his own contacts?" Alex asked quietly.

"He won't know it was us," Brin answered seriously. "To him, man, we're just a few of kids. We're nobodies to him. And that'll work to our advantage everything." She was starting to sound an awful lot like Blunt.


End file.
